Automatic train-stop.



H. G. SEDGWICK.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION man DEc.24,19oa.

1,174,45 1. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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HIRAIVI G'. SEDGWICK, 0F lVIILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE NATIONAL SAFETY APPLIANCE COMPANY, AVCORPORATION CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-sro?.

Specification of Letters Patent. Y Pafjnted Mal'. i?, 1916.

Application led December 24, 1908. Serial No. 469,095.

To ait 107mm t may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM Gr. SEDGWICK, a citizen ofthe United States of America., and a resident of Mill Valley7 in the county of Marin and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stops, of which the following is a full and clear speciiica-v tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a diagram showing one wayof applying my invention; and Figs.2, 3 and l are detail cross-sections of three modified forms of cable on the line of Fig. l, showing the normally-alive and normallydead conductors arranged in cable form.

This invention is designed to adapt the roadbed devices covered by my Patent No. 864,866, dated September 3, 1907, or other train stop devices, for use in connection with a normally-closed-circuit block signal system of the type now in extensive use, 4without in the least interfering with the operation of the signal system while Vat the same time utilizing the system to render my trainstopping mechanism less liable to derangement and more effective in preventing trains entering a preempted block, as .more fully hereinafter set forth.

A further object of the invention is to utilize the normally-alive conductor to protect the normally-dead wires, so that it will be practically impossible to disrupt thenormally-dead wires without at the same time disrupting the normally-alive wires, whereby in case of disruption of the normallydead wires the signals will be set to danger,

thus indicating either that the system is out I of order or that the block ahead is preempted.

In the drawings I have shown this invention applied to the adjacent ends of one of Y the tracks of a double-track road7 but it will be understood that the invention is applicable to single-track roads by simply duplicating the apparatus in the well-known way.

The rails of the two blocks are bonded in the usual manner and are separated by the insulation blocks 0,. The opposite rails of each block are connected by conductors to a low-tension battery 7;, so that when a train passes into a block the wheels and axles of the train will complete the circuit. This circuit is normally closed by conductors c which are connected to the opposite rails and include a mainvrelay d, this being the usual arrangement in closed-circuit signal systems.` The relay ci normally attracts an armature c, and this armature is connected to one of the wires j of a local circuit, the other wire being connected to a contact g, whereby when the armature is released by denergizing the relay this circuit f will be closed and the semaphore arm L will rise to danger. This construction is also usual in this type of signal system.

When a train enters the block the wheels and axles thereofwill short-circuit battery b and thus denergize relay Z whereupon the semaphore will move to. danger and thus indicate that the block is prempted. To uti-1 lize this systemzin connection with my roadbed .devices I extend circuit c up the road a suitable distance and include in it a supplemental relay c' whoseA armature 7 is also normally attracted, thus holding open the local v circuit lo, one wire of which connects the armature wlth an insulated` rail-section Z at one side of the track andthe other wire of which connects the contact-point'm with aV when the brush on the locomotive strikes contact-rail n the partial circuit 7c will be completedby means on the train and will automatically apply the brakes in la manner set forth in mypatent or in any other suitable manner.

The stopping-rails n and Z may be dupli- .catedone or more timesV between their point of location and the end of the block, as is obvious, to insure additional safety, and the local circuits of each of these supplemental stopping-rails may be closed by the parts ,7' and m 0r in any other suitable manner, A I show one of these supplemental stopping sets of rails Z and n and I connect these rails by circuit wires 7c to contacts 7:2 adapted to be closed when armature e is released. I also prefer extending the supplemental circuit Za by wires 7c3 to a switch 744 which gain the great advantage that is secured by the closed-circuit signal system, namely, that in case of deraiigenient of any of the apparatus my train-stopping devices Will be rendered operative and thus act to stop a train attempting to enter the deranged block.l

I am enabled also to use a series Of SQD ping devices Without appreciable additional cost at the end of each block, and this adds greatly to the safety of the system. I am also enabled to use a lighter battery on the locomotive since only suiicient current is necessary to carry through a local circuit lo to stop the train. There are many other important advantages in this new system that will be obvious to one skilled in the art.

The letter c indicates loops oi' the nor really-closed circuit 0 which are extended and carried around the normallyedead Wires 7c and 7c of the stopping system. The Wires of these loops are arranged closely adjacent to the normally-dead Wires in such manner that it will be practically impossible to disrupt the normally-dead Wires Without at the same time disrupting the normally-alive Wires, whereby the disruption o the nor# mallyv-dead Wires Wiil set the signals to danger and thus show that the system is deranged. f

In Vorder to `protect the normally-dead Wire fully it is preferred to arrange the same in a single cable with the normallyalive Wires, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and Y4. In Fig. 2' the three conductors are each incased in a non-conducting covering and the two outer or live conductors are made Wider than the dead conductor so as to aord a better protection therefor. In Fig. 3 the same arrangement is shown yexcept that the conductors are all arranged in a. single casing, and in Fig. 4 the conductors are in the form of Wires arranged in a single nonconducting casing.' v

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to Secure by Letters Patent. is;-

l. A railway Signaling and stopping SYS- tem embodying 4normally-open and also nQrmally=closed circuits, the conductors of the normally-closed circuit being arranged in close juxtaposition to the normally open circuit so as to thereby mechanically protect the same and thus reduce to a minimum the chance of the open circuit being rup tured Without at the same time rupturing the lclosed circuit.

In a railway block system'signal devices, a closed signal controlling circuit, an open train-.stopping circuit on the roadbed adapted t0 be closed when the signal devices are operated, and means whereby the conductors of the closed circuit are brought into mechanically protective relation with the conductors of said open circuit.

3, The combination with train-.stopping devices embodying a. normally-deadconductor, of a normally-closed signal controlling circuit and a cooperating signal, said normallyfclosedY signal controlling circuit having a loop formed in it, the branches of this loop being arranged in mechanically protective relation to said normallyfdead conductor.

4f. The .combination with train-stopping devices ,embodying a normallyfdead conductor, of a normally-closed signal controlling circuit and a .cooperating signal, said normally-closed signal controlling circuit having a loop formed in it, the Wires of said loop being arranged on opposite sides of and: a single .cable with said normallydead conductor. Y

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence .of two Witnesses this 10th day of December 1908.

' I-IIRAM G. SEDGWICK. Witnesses:

CHAs. HUNT-oon, F. C. A-NKER-s.

Genies of this patent may be obtained fire cents me, by addressing the ommssiener of ratsam, Washington, Q3 

